Dispensing means for pellets



DCC. 3G, 1947. H J. MQLAUGHUN 2,433,472

DISPENSING MEANS FOR PELLETS i Filed May 14, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l nil..

Edi

INVENTOR HOA/Q0 J. MCLAUGHL//v ATTORN EYS Patented Dec. 30, 1947 DISPENSING MEANS FOR PELLETS Howard J. McLaughlin, Port Orchard, Wash., as-

signor of one-half to James B. Hussey, Port f Orchard, Wash.

Application May 14, 1946,` Serial No. 669,504

3 Claims. (Cl. 312-49) My present inventionv relates to dispensing means for pellets which is intended for general use as distinguished from those devices which are coin operated. My present dispenser is designed so as to accurately dispense pellets, one at a time, and is so constructed that easily deformed, crushed or brittle spheres, cubes, and the like may be stored under conditions protecting them from local contamination and especially to prevent the contamination of the stored pellet from handling by persons having normal rightful ac cess to the pellets stored.

'Ihe principal object of my invention is to provide a dispensing device which will accurately dispense one pellet at a time.

A further object of my invention is to provide a dispenser in which the feeding of pellets will be continuous without stoppage until they are all consumed.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the feeding of pellets through my machine can be accurately accomplished whether the dispenser is full or practically empty.

Further objects, advantages, and capabilities will be 'apparent from the description and disclosure in the drawings which are inherent in .the device.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing the dispensing side of my device;

Fig. 2 is a vertical View, in section, taken on a plane through the dispensing mechanism of the device;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but showing my device in an advanced stage of its functioning;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Figures 2 and 3 with upper portion broken away and showing the final stage in the cycle of operation;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view with the lower portion of the housing broken away, taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the pivoted dispensing lever;

Figs. 7 and 8 are cross sectional views, in plan, taken along similarly numbered lines of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view, in plan, taken along the line 99-of Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line IIl-I of Fig. 3 with the upper part of the housing broken away;

Fig. l1 is a bracketed view showing three of the preferred forms of pellets for use with my device.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings, the numeral I2 designates generally the main body portion of the housing I` employ with my device. This is provided with the tight-fitting bottom closure I3 and the cover member I 4. Disposed within the lower portion of housing member I2, and preferably made as a part thereof, is a hopper arrangement composed of the inwardly sloping surface I8 which is disposed at right angles to surfaces I6 and I'I. The hopper sides I6 and I1 terminate in the troughlike chute 2G. I

Pivotally disposed, as on pin 22, is the dispens-` In operating my device, it first must be filled by removing cover I4. The pellets, as they are placed within the storage or upper portion 33 of my dispenser, will rest upon the hopperlike bottom and will be directed by the sloping bottom members I6, I1, and I8 into thedispensing groove 20. Groove 2U must of necessity be proportioned in keeping with the size and shape of pellets to be dispensed. Throughout the drawings I have illustrated round or spherical pellets. However, cubes of sugar or modifi-ed cubes after the showing of Fig. 11 can all be depended upon to feed through my dispensing mechanism with certainty.

When it is desired to dispense a pellet, pressure is applied, as by the finger, to portion 24 of the dispensing lever. As that portion of the lever is pressed downwardly the lever revolves about pivot 22, and two actions occur: first, the stop member 26, which has an arcuate surface with the pivot 22 as its center and a downwardly extending portion 311 swings upwardly and across the discharge opening 3B, and in this way assures that only one pellet will be discharged, the remaining pellets coming to rest on the arcuate surface of stop 26.

Long trials and experiments with dispensers have indicated the necessity of having some means of preventing the pellets from bridging over and thus not feeding through the discharge opening, and also if the feeding or dispensing is to be done with certainty, the pressure of the mass of pellets above the discharge opening should 3 be taken orl of the pellets next to be dispensed. In my drawings I have illustrated a member which has been found to serve this purpose fully, that is, the load supporting arcuate member 21, which is formed as part of lever 23 and has the arcuate portion formed with its center of generation at pivot 22. I This member 21 swings upwardly through openingf28 as the dispensing lever is revolved to the dispensing position, 'and by its movement through the mass of pellets will break up any attempt at bridging over, and as soon as it has reached the position as shown in Fig. I4, it prevents any of the mass above theV dispensing opening from placing any pressure on thev pellets P which are next to be dispensed. It -will now be observed that the two pellets, one resting upon the arcuate surface of stop 26 asshown'in Fig. 4, and the one next above it, are relieved of all pressure and will then function smoothly through my device under the urgence only of gravity.

l-Iereit lisfdesired` to`poin't out'that the vsloping surface I8 in Vco-action with 'the movable separating member f2? assures the breaking up of any lodgment which might otherwise occur immediately -above Vthe discharge opening 36. Inthe various views I have illustrated the details of construction of the sloping surfaces I6, H, and I8 quite fully, aslthe successful operation of this device depends kvery largely upon the o'bservatienfof these proportions.

It is believed that it will be apparent fromthe above description andthe disclosure inthe drawings that the invention comprehends a novel construction foradis'pensing device, which is `simple andv positive" in 'operationan'd is extremely sanitary in use. Furthermore, kclue to this novel construction andi arrangement, the parts of the dispensing mechanism are self cleaning oflany fragments orbroken pelletspas any fragmentation is free'to slide downunder stop'fmember '26 and cometo rest in theiower portion 35 of my housing, where they may fromtime.totimeeberdisposed of through closure VI3.

What I claim-is: f i

1, Aldispensing 4means 'for pellets comprising a. housing body `having aidischarge opening; a top closure forvfsaid body a` bottomV closure Vfor .said

`resting cavity disposed outside the housing.

2. -'A.dis'pe'nsing means for pellets comprising a housing body having a discharge opening; a top c'losureffofr sai'd'b ldyya bottom closure for said body; .-aihopperirr'angement secured substantially'niidway'in said body composed of two in- 'Wardlyslopinglsides terminating in a centrally disposed trough which slopes downwardly to said discharge opening; an inwardly directed sloping surface disposed above said discharge opening and adapted to discharge*materialsi intoI said trough; a pivoted dispensing lever. aseparating member operated by said lever and'adapted to operate in said'trough; astop operated by said lever and adapted to coact with said discharge opening to provide one ata time dispensing of pellets, anda pellet larresting cavity disposed outside the housmg.

3. A dispensing means forpellets comprising a housing'bo'dy'having -a-discharge opening; "a top closure ior'said body; abottom closurefor said body; a hopper arrangement 'securedsubstantially midway in saidbody'composed offtwo inwardly sloping sides :terminatingfin afeenfv trally disposed troughl which "slopesfdownwardly to saidv vdischarge openinggj` an inwadlydirected sloping surface "disposeizlfabove' 'said discharge open-ing and adapted to `discharge matei'ials'intol said trough; a dispensing lever pivotablydisposed in `said discharge" opening, said lever having an arcuate separating' member adaptedto operate through-aholeinthe bottom ofi` said trough, and an arcuate 'stop adapted to" coact Ywith saidldischarge opening to provide" one at atime dispens-H ing ofpellets, and a( pellet arresting: cavity "dis-v posed outside the housing.

HOWARD J. MLAUqEIfN. 

